Current wireless local area network (WLAN) applications make use of sophisticated multi-user, multiple input-multiple output (MU-MIMO) and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) packet transmission between network devices (e.g., access points) and stations (e.g., mobile client devices) at the network edge. Such protocols provide enhanced efficiency by transmissions to/from multiple stations at the same time, but pose a challenge for a second network device trying to “listen” or “sniff” into a communication channel between a station and a first network device, such as in a WLAN intrusion detection system (WIDS). When the second network device has a legitimate goal of capturing packets for monitoring and diagnostics by a network controller or manager, important security and diagnostics information may be lost or hidden when a MU-MIMO or OFDMA prevents packet capture by the second network device.
In the figures, elements and steps denoted by the same or similar reference numerals are associated with the same or similar elements and steps, unless indicated otherwise.